In the applicators having a sharpened point in the applying part (application tip), there is a pen-type cosmetic applicator having a brush-like application tip of bundled fibers and storing a cosmetic in a fluid form (slurry-like liquid or fluid containing fine solid particles).
These applicators are fitted with a so-called cylindrical cap, which is arranged so as to provide protection against drying and keep airtightness.
However, in ones that have a large space between the application tip and the interior of the cylindrical cap for containing cosmetics, especially eyeliner etc., which are blended with binders such as emulsion in order to keep the cosmetic long-lasting, the cosmetic may dry at the sharpened application tip, causing bad liquid delivery.
In order to prevent the above problem there has been an attempt to alleviate the degree of the above deficiency by attaching a so-called inner cap inside the cylindrical cap body. Caps of this type are composed of two or more parts made of an inner cap assembled inside a cap body.
When this cap is used, seamed steps will be formed between the inner peripheral surface of the cap body and the opening end of the inner cap. Such an applicator with its brush tip of sharpened, bundled fibers entails the problem that the brush tip may get caught by the seamed step or the sharpened end of the brush tip may be bent.
Also there occurs the problem that if dew condensation occurs due to change in temperature, the degree of drying at the application tip further increases.
Here, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Hei 11-129682 (patent document 1) and Japanese Patent Application Laid-open 2002-36781 (patent document 2) referred to as the prior art, there is a reference that has been known whereby in order to prevent the pen point from drying, an inner cap part having a small volume is provided inside the cap body, and that an absorbent material wetted with the used solvent is arranged inside the cap as a countermeasure. However, this prior art technique needs many parts hence is prone to increase cost. Further, this method when it is applied to a cap for cosmetic storage type applicator especially for eyeliner, needs hygienic care with regard to the absorbent material, hence entailing the problem of inconvenience in handling.
Also, Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-open Hei 6-66514 (patent document 3) discloses a cap with an inner cap, made up of at least three parts, in which the inner cap is movable. This configuration entails not only the problem that the brush hairs may be caught by the gap between the outer cap and inner cap but also the cost problem.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Hei 6-155980 (patent document 4) discloses a cap for a writing instrument, including an ink absorbent member of a continuously foamed material shaped with a hollow into which the tip of the pen core is inserted. This configuration entails a hygienic problem in handling the absorbent member, as a cap for a cosmetic storage type applicator for cosmetics, especially for eyeliner. Also, when the applicator is of a brush type made of bundled fibers, since the brush is not solidified like a pen core there occurs the problem that if the brush tip collides with the absorbent the brush tip may come apart so that the brush tip cannot come together when it used or may be crooked in the worst case, resulting in inability in use.
Furthermore, Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-open Hei 5-16381 (patent document 5) discloses a cap in which a small inner sleeve is formed so as to make the clearance between the inner surface of the inner sleeve and the pen element small, which can avoid the front end of the pen element abutting the cap interior and being damaged even if the pen element is long due to fluctuation, and which is characterized in that an abutted portion inside the cap is formed to be thin so that the abutted portion will deform.
However, when the applicator is of a brush type made of bundled fibers, since the brush is not solidified like a pen core, the brush tip may collide with the absorbent and come apart so that the brush tip cannot come together when it is used or may be crooked in the worst case, resulting in inability in use. Further, referring to the drawings in patent document 5, there is a step between inner sleeve (20) and covering element (10), which may give rise to a risk of the brush tip being bent.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Hei 7-228089 (patent document 6) provides a structure made of a cap (1, 101) and an inner cap (1, 103) with a stepped portion formed at its rear end of the press-fitting portion. When the applicator is of a brush type with a bundle of fibers, hairs may be caught by the boundary of the stepped portion. In addition, the space between the interior of the inner cap and the pen element has a large volume, based on the information in FIG. 3.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Hei 9-322819 (patent document 7) has the problem of the brush tip being caught between the inner cap, 48 and 49 when referring to FIG. 16 of the document (see FIG. 17 of the same).
Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Hei 10-416 (patent document 8) presents a structure of a cap and an inner cap, in which a step is formed at their press-fitting. When the applicator is of a brush type made of bundled fibers, there occur cases where the hairs are caught at that step. Further, the space between the interior of the inner cap and the pen element has a relatively large spatial volume, based on the information in FIG. 3. Further, in patent document 8, there is a fear that the brush tip is bent when the cap is fitted, as is apparent with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7.
In Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Hei 10-157381 (patent document 9), Japanese Patent Application Laid-open 2000-25385 (patent document 10) and Japanese Patent Application Laid-open 2001-121877 (patent document 11), with reference to the drawings of these, all of them have a stepped portion formed by a cap and an inner cap, and when the applicator is of a brush type made of bundled fibers, the hairs may be caught by it. Further, the space between the interior of the inner cap and the pen element is relatively large, based on the information in the drawings.
In an airtight cap for a pencil-type article, disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open 2001-252131 (patent document 12), a configuration including a pen element that is not of a brush type, with a large gap between the pen element and its inner cap.
Further, of the applicators with their tip of the applying part sharpened, there is a pen-like cosmetic storage type cosmetic tool that has a brush-like application tip made of bundled fibers and reserves a fluid cosmetic in a barrel cylinder.
A brush made of bundled fibers is arranged as the applying part at the front end of the barrel cylinder, a reservoir impregnated with cosmetic material being provided inside the barrel cylinder with a fiber-bundled core arranged so as to join the applying part and the reservoir to thereby lead the cosmetic material.
Further, a tail plug that produces airtightness for the barrel cylinder is arranged at the rear end of the barrel cylinder.
When the cosmetic material reserved is eyeliner for example, properties of quick drying after its application and long-lasting properties are demanded. Since it is applied to delicate area around eyes, the applicator preferably has a configuration that can be easy to operate as a whole. However, there are cases which have difficulties in regard to long-term storage performance due to the container shape and the air-sealing structure.
In particular, when the applicator is a brush having a brush tip of bundled fibers, the capillary force varies depending on the united condition of the brush fibers, though the fluid is suctioned partway through a reservoir and fiber-bundled core.
There is also an idea of making the brush longer as to its full length in order to shorten the fiber-bundled core that couples the brush and reservoir. In this case, however, there occurs the problem in that the distribution of the fluid becomes uneven since the fluid retaining force of the brush is low.
As a prior art technique relating to fluid cosmetic storage type applicators, in the fluid cosmetic storage type applicator disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-open Sho 61-2814 (patent document 13), the length of the gripping portion defining the barrel outside diameter in the cylindrical body is indistinct in the drawings. Further, there exists a space in the tail plug portion where an elastic member for pressing the reservoir is accommodated.
In the fluid cosmetic storage type applicator disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-open Sho 61-67615 (patent document 14), the outside diameter of the main barrel and the length of the gripping portion are indistinct in the drawings.
In Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-open Sho 63-139810 (patent document 15), the outside diameter of the main barrel and the length of the gripping portion are indistinct in the drawings. From its FIG. 1 the reservoir and the main barrel have approximately the same length.
In Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Hei 2-111303 (patent document 16), the outside diameter of the main barrel and the length of the gripping portion are indistinct in the drawings. Referring to its FIGS. 1 and 2 there is a large space in the rear part of the barrel.
In Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Hei 3-47112 (patent document 17), a barrel cylinder includes a tank part for directly storing the eyeliner fluid as a liquid and an air/liquid separator. That is, the components are quite different from the reservoir type.
Also, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open 2002-241233 (patent document 18), the outside diameter of the main barrel and the length of the gripping portion are indistinct in the drawings.